My Head is Still Spinning

We went to Milwaukee this weekend to see Katy and Steve.  

We committed to a weekend to meet his parents.  

We did a lot!

They are still unpacking and  trying to put stuff  away,

We did a lot of that kinds of stuff.  

It is overwhelming to do that and you need to be focused.  

I helped them get a lot of that done. 

Husbands don't get it either. 

Bob told Katy, when we moved into this house he only took a day off.  

Sure, right and he singlehandedly but everything away  

He only did his stuff.  
I wasn't working at the time because the kids were just turning five and you needed a secret code to find out about day care....a whole 'nother story  

I had lots of time to put things away and pretty much welcomed the task because it was something to do.  

The in-laws came for dinner on Friday evening so that morning, I made a Cherry Crisp and Katy and I got a salad made for dinner.  

We took a quick trip to IKEA....not really that quick per se but, got through the entire store in about 1.25 hours and picked up a few things.  

After that we stopped at a grocery store for a few more things.  

We then had a three o'clock appointment at David's Bridal so Katy could try on gowns.  

She had an entourage:  me, her future MIL and SIL, and two attendants.  

She tried on some lovely gowns but, the experience was kind of subpar.  

The dressing rooms are tiny.  The consultant got  more gowns but, didn't help her and the room was too tiny for another person to fit in there.  Then, there was just a wall of mirrors, no three way to see truly how the gown looks on.  And you know how there is a little dais to stand on, nope not there.  

It was definately a big box experience that left everyone underwhelmed.  

I was not anticipating a dress would be found that day.  I only anticipated we would have a better idea of what style she may like.  

It was a good place to start but, more to follow, I'm sure.  

I do have another trip planned in October.  

I may be able to go in September....again a whole 'nother story.  

I'm trying not to be crabby....hard thing at this time. 

On the way down, we stopped at the Stitching Bee.  

I really find it handy to have all the possible threads needed for a BBD design book.  

I did that for the Sewing Club and I'm doing that for Autumn Winds.

I figured I would get what I needed if possible and then order the rest. 

I picked up a few other things.  

I nearly got this BBD book a few years ago when I was at The Country Sampler in Spring Green but, didn't and Kendra had one, well actually a couple.  

I also had ordered With Thy Needle and Thread Jack O Lantern Jubilee and it was waiting.  

I got most of my thread and only needed to order four more skeins.  

I picked up a couple for Jack O Lantern that I thought I might need.  

She had also gotten some 40 count linen.  I got a piece of Flax about a fat half.  

The Brenda Gervais...very cute. 

I had been working on Martha Dawson but, its on 40 ct and I figured it would be too difficult while we were there.  I took Willing Hands and finished a leaf, the flower and the bird on the potted plant and that was it.  

I think I'm kind of tired to do much today, maybe will get some done tonight on Martha Dawson.  

I also got my August Prim Colors from Color and Cotton.  

The picture doesn't do it justice.  
Its sitting on my piece of Flax.  

The last thing to show you is the round box I picked up at IKEA .  It is not quite 10" by 4"

It was in the market place area by some unfinished sewing boxes that fold up.  

It was $20 and I figure I will find something that will fit on it.  

I think it will finish up nicely.  

Not much else going on here.  The Covid numbers are creeping up compared to June.  Such a dilemma there too.  My little stitching group, two of us are vaccinated, two are not and the nots want to meet.  

I hope you have had a good week and an even better weekend.  

Keep on Stitching

Monica
 

Willing Hands

I didn't do BBDweekendSAL last weekend even though Sunday was the first.  

I was confused and figured it would be better to wait until this weekend, more time.  

I'm working on Willing Hands from the Sewing Club book.  

I have absolutely fallen in love with the border and the color Classic Colorworks Camouflage.

It may be my new favorite green!

Martha Dawson 1832 progress.  I have a little bit of the border left to go.

Once I'm done with that, there are a few motifs and her name, place and date.  

I may do the lettering after the border is done and save the more fun motifs for the end.  

If you click on the following picture and enlarge the center you will see my hummingbird visitor.  

I plant the petunia's and the baskets of Caliabrachoa are favorites of the hummingbirds.  

We have had a lot of smoke from the Canadian wild fires.  

I took the picture of the sun as it was coming up .

It was pretty incredible

I've been working on gathering floss for the BBD Winds of Autumn.  I have a few of the pieces in kits from when I was participating in a Dyeing to Stitch Club.  

I need to track those all down.

I am waiting for Casting a Spell to come.  

I decided I would do that as smalls rather than getting the box.  I just don't have a place to hang a box like that.  I'm super amped about this and think it will be a really fun project.  

I'm stopping at the Stitching Bee on Thursday to hopefully get the floss I'm missing.  What I can't get, I'll order from somewhere.  

We will be heading to Milwaukee for the weekend to see Katy and Steve.  We are meeting Steve's parents, sister and brother in law.  We are looking forward to meeting them.  

Hope your week and weekend have been fun and productive.  

Preaching moment:  If you haven't gotten vaccinated, please do so, you don't know who's life you may be saving....could be yours.

Keep on Stitching

Monica

 

 

 

One Year Closer to Retirement

 I am officially one year closer to retirement as it is my birthday and I am 62. I can hardly believe it.  It has been a busy day.  On the phone with family, and my son came over so I haven't gotten as much done as I would have liked too such  as fertilizing my flowers.  It was a very nice day.  

I finished Littlehouse Needleworks Farm House Christmas.  Other than the border kind of was annoying, just hard to see while stitching, this was a very fun stitch!  I am extremely happy with how it turned out.  

Nine parts, broken into parts of three.  

I even ironed it before I snapped the pics.  

I dyed the fabric myself. 

Don't remember the recipe but, I call it Portobello

It was my college girls weekend.

Jan brought a really great project for us to each work on

It is a 2'x2' wood board she primed and measured the squares.

A lot of work on her part.    

We had to  painted it.  

It turned out great!

I want to get a can of spray protectorant before hanging on the back yard shed.

While doing a little shopping, there aren't the shops in the small area that there use to be.  

The coffee shop/gift shop is still open and found an excellent replacement for my poor broken mug.

Coffee tastes pretty good in it.  

Mary Beth brought a cherry crumble.  

I had a jar of Trader Joe's Morello cherries,  

Got the recipe and made one when I got home....the following day.  

I have resumed working on HATS Martha Dawson 1837 and am nearly done with the border...

WAH WHO!

I have a few more motifs and then her name at the bottom.  

I am getting ready for the BBDSAL weekend that I'll start next weekend.  

I was quite happy to work on Martha.  

I'm going to start She Works with Willing Hands.  

I have the box.  

I ordered it after I got the book.  

Been trying to pick an alternative to Weeks Dolphin and Seraphim (?) Eucalyptus and going crazy ordering all kinds of weird fabric.  

Tin Roof is a little dark on the left but, a definate possibility.  

Gun Metal on the right is too dark.

One more color I didn't post is Bramble and that might be the winner.  

I have decided since I'm over 60, living in an area where the Covid rates are going up and only 52% of my fellow citizens are vaccinated, to resume wearing a mask when I am in doors.  

I so totally don't want to get Covid, I have a wedding to help plan with my daughter.

Walking through the grocery store and maybe three other people had masks on, that wasn't most likely the people who aren't vaccinated.  

I don't believe the unvaccinated are wearing masks as they should.  

Stay safe my friends and keep on stitching

Monica

Working on Finishing a Few Things Among Other Things

I have been working on LIttle House Needleworks Farm House Christmas.  

I have recently finished Part 6 Pinewood Far and Part 7 Cock-a-Doodle-Doo.  

The hardest part is the white border.

I've been working on the last part border, then the fun can begin.  

I have started this project three times.

First as smalls but, then I saw it done as a bell pull and decided that was spectacular.

Then I started it as a bell pull but, the fabric was too light and the white completely disappeared 

So, I mixed up some dye a little darker than natural linen and the white shows up well but, CC Pebble Beach did not so I changed it to a VMSS Cocoa, a medium bown which is working quite well.   

I often use my refrigerator to hang the pieces on to photograph.  

The first 7 parts 

Once I have the borders done, the fun part really doesn't take long.  

I broke my favorite coffee cup Sunday cleaning it out to use again.  

I got it at the Stitching Bee at least 15 years ago.  It has served me well and I shall miss it.  

To me it was the perfect cup.  I like my coffee hot and it held the right amount, usually drinking it all before it got too cold.  

I will get over it.  

I joined the Color and Cotton Floss Club, Primitive Neutrals.  

How pretty are those colors!

I will have to figure out where to store these.  

I am really looking forward to trying them out on the right piece.  

That sums it up.  

Things have slowed down at work for a little bit.  

I don't anticipate it will last for long.

I have been busy doing continuing education and trying to get my FSA account straightened out

The other thing I have been up to is trying to strip some laundry to get pink residual dye out of my white shirts that bled from a shirt of Bob's..  

The timer just went off so I'm going to finish that. 

One more thing, I have a new guilty pleasure:  Youtube Channel Bros of  Decay.  

I think the main guy is from Belgium?

They climb into abandoned houses in Europe and he makes up stories, doesn't exactly get thing right such as a classic hinged sewing table a "tool box for the man" but, found buttons inside.  

Nonetheless, it is interesting to see what the inhabitants just walked away from or died.  

Have a great week 

Keep on Stitching

Get vaccinated!

Monica

 

Super Quick

 I wanted to post my finish of part 7 of Little House Needleworks Farmhouse Christmas Cock-a-doodle-do but I’m about 50 stitches short of finishing so, it will wait.  Exciting news is I won one of the Hannah Greenwood Sampler from Our Sampler Years, Yesterday’s Needlework for Today.  Just a screen shot. So exciting. More to come later this week.   

Have a great week!  If you haven’t doe it yet, get the Covid vaccine. It hurts less than Shingrex vaccine.  I got the first one on Friday!  Really looking forward to the second one (not).  

Lots To Talk About

Starting with a story.

Buster is 12 years old, getting up there and having a few little issues.  

His vision is not what it use to be.  

I call them cataracts the vet said he has cloudy lenses.....isn't that what a cataract is?

Anyway....he also is a little arthritic.  

I was cleaning yesterday and he went under the bed in the guest room away from the noise and in a cool dark place to take a snooze while all the action is going on.  

I was done cleaning, and Bob was outside doing yardwork but, taking a break.  

I took out some water and took a break with him.  

Henry knew we were on the front porch and could see us from his vantage point on the couch.

Buster came out of the bedroom , barking looking for me.  I called him through the open window but, wasn't able to find me.  

He though I was in the basement and went down there.  He started barking even more.  

I didn't know he went down there but, went inside to reassure him.  

He was at the bottom of the stair and it was darker down there.  I stood at the top of the stairs and encouraged him.  If he gets a running start, he can get up the stairs.  

He was SOOO excited to see me....crazy little nugget!

Got to give Henry equal time.  

Buster often sleeps on this pillow and fits.  

Henry often sleeps on this pillow and really doesn't fit.  

Bob had an Opthamologist appointment in Green Bay.  

His eye pressures have been too high and his local Optometrist was concerned and referred him.

I worked in the morning, came home had lunch and then we hopped in the car.  

His appointment was at 3:30 but, we had plenty of time to stop at The Stitching Bee.  

I really didn't need anything but, always can find something.  

I don't have the two BBD and since Barb's passing followed the rule from Brenda and Laura...Buy all the Blackbird.  

I'm not so sure I will search for the other two in the series but, most got this for the two smalls.  

See how cute these smalls are and perfect for fall.  

I think even the house and the pumpkins in the larger piece would be totally adorable. 

I have already done Tribute to Abigail in the Sweet Land of Liberty.  

It was a subscription in a group from Dyeing to Stitch a few years ago.  

Kendra got some new linen and I bought a fat half.  

It is from R & R 36 count Vintage Home.  

Some Lady Dot hand dyed Pompom Toast color

I picked up a variety of overdyes in colors I know I use but, also some blues that are just so pretty.  

I finished Blackbird Designs Rose Hips and Ivy.  

I stitched beyond the BBD weekend SAL in honor of Barb Adams.  

I left the "B" in the piece and put my initials in the bottom left corner.  

I tried something a little different.  

The spacing is not what it should probably be, I had to make it fit.  

I made my middle initial smaller by doing it over one rather than two.  

Overall, pleased with the result.  

Decided to do a little Christmas in July and picked up Farmhouse Christmas by Little House Needleworks.  I'm on part 6.  I stitched the first three sections three times.  I first did them individually then saw it done like a bell pull and fell in love with it.  

Istarted it on fabric that was just too light and the white got completely lost.  

Dyed some fabric a little darker almost like a darker natural color and its looking pretty good.  

Changed one color, Pebble Beach to more of a brown and it is really working for me.  

I don't know how many sections I will do now, but a nice break from sampler/sampler type pieces.  

It has been absolutely perfect summer weather the last four days.  Even had the AC off for a few days.  

Really enjoying season 2 of the Crown.  

Don't know why I stopped.  

Finished Firefly Lane and that was really good. 

The third season of  Virgin River started and hold on to your hats, there is way too much stuff happening.  

So on the soap box.  If you haven't gotten vaccinated, I recommend it with the Delta variant. The statistics are 99.5% of the people dying from Covid are unvaccinated.  

I don't know about you but, I have way too much stitching to do and don't want to be out of  comission.  

Polio affected 15,000 people a year until the vaccine was developed and distributed.  People lined up for that.  

.  

US deaths 606,000 in the US and 4 million worldwide. 

 Our world has changed, All for one and none for all.  

Don't let the politician's deter you.  

Keep on Stitching. 

Monica

 

The War Zone Known as the Fourth

The Fourth of July is not one of my favorite holidays for a few reasons.

First, my dad died on the Fourth in 2006.  He was a very good father and I miss him.  

He always had good advice and words of wisdom. The one thing he would say if you were feeling intimidated by someone was, "Just remember, he puts his pants on one leg at a time."  That has served me well.  

Another reason why I'm not crazy about the Fourth is our neighborhood sounds like a war zone with the amount of fireworks going off.  They can light stuff off the day before and the day after.  I think things may be okay tonight since most people are back to work tomorrow.  They can light them until midnight.  I haven't gotten to bed the last two nights till after midnight, lots later than I usually stay up.  

We also have to give Henry drugs to keep him calm because he gets very agitated by it all.  

Fortunately, it doesn't bother Buster. 

The only good thing is having the day off and that almost didn't happen.   

I've been working on Martha Dawson up until this weekend 

She is really comint along.  I have a few motifs and the bottom section of the border and then I'm done. 

Was going to pull some potential starts and take pictures but, didn't get around to it

Since it is the Black Bird Design SAL, I've been working on Rose Hips and Ivy from the Sewing Club book.  It is a super fun stitch and I'm loving the way it is turning out.  

In the book, its finished as a drum but, I think I may frame it but, not exactly sure.  

Not really sure if I'm a fan of drums.  

I will probably go back to Martha Dawson tomorrow.  

After that, I may work on a  Little House Christmas  piece.  

I would like to get it finished before Christmas.  

We've been watching Firefly Lane on Netflix and I can recommend it.  

It has been very entertaining.  

Back to work tomorrow and the Fireworks are popping now!  UGH!!!!

Hope you had a good weekend.  

I'm so tired of the whole thing.  

I'm still encouraging vaccinations.  

Keep on Stitching

Monica